November 13, 2013

What is the Status of the Corrective Action Program?

In 1984, EPA received authorization under the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) for implementing the corrective action program. The intent of the program is to 1) clean up contamination from waste disposal that occurred prior to the start of the RCRA program in 1980, and 2) keep or return land to productive use.

EPA recently published a document entitled RCRA Corrective Action: Case Studies Report. The report explains the purpose and history of the program, its current status, and future goals. Highlights include:

Currently, more than 6,000 facilities in the United States are potentially subject to RCRA corrective action.
More than 18 million acres of land are affected, larger than the state of West Virginia.
The 3,747 sites that will most likely require some sort of remedial effort had, by the end of FY 2012, made the following progress:

81% had reduced human exposure to acceptable levels,
71% had contained ground-water contamination, and
47% had completed construction of the final remedy.

The agency’s goal is to increase each of the above three percentages to 95% by 2020.

EPA’s report also contains 14 case studies of corrective action sites, highlighting innovations in treatment, land use, and successful partnerships with regulatory agencies.

McCoy and Associates has provided in-depth information to assist environmental professionals with complex compliance issues since 1982. Our seminars and publications are widely trusted by environmental professionals for their consistent quality, clarity, and comprehensiveness.

Disclaimer

Considerable care has been exercised in preparing this document; however, McCoy and Associates, Inc. makes no representation, warranty, or guarantee in connection with the publication of this information. McCoy and Associates, Inc. expressly disclaims any liability or responsibility for loss or damage resulting from its use or for the violation of any federal, state, or municipal law or regulation with which this information may conflict. McCoy and Associates, Inc. does not undertake any duty to ensure the continued accuracy of this information.

This document addresses issues of a general nature related to the federal RCRA regulations. Persons evaluating specific circumstances dealing with the RCRA regulations should review state and local laws and regulations, which may be more stringent than federal requirements. In addition, the assistance of a qualified professional should be enlisted to address any site-specific circumstances.